NFL1000: Rookie Review from Week 1

If you're an NFL rookie in the middle of your first regular-season game, the truth becomes clear right away—nothing you've ever done in your life completely prepares you for the speed and complexity of the pro game.

Not your college performances, no matter how splendid they may have been.

Not all that offseason work at the fancy training facility. Not minicamps. Not training camp. Not those countless hours spent in meeting rooms with your new coaches.

Preseason snaps help a lot if you have them, but one of the first things you'll notice when the action is real in the regular season is that you're seeing all kinds of schematic things you've never experienced before.

It's tough for anyone and fairly remarkable when someone is able to excel in that environment right from the start.

That's what made the performance of new Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz so spectacular in Week 1. Coming from a smaller school (North Dakota State) where he ran complex offenses but against generally iffy competition, and limited by injury to just 38 preseason snaps, Wentz came out against the Cleveland Browns defense (such as it was) and immediately confirmed the faith his coaches had in him when they traded Sam Bradford to the Minnesota Vikings.

Wentz looked ready for prime time, and while he'll go through growing pains, his inaugural NFL performance was encouraging. Going 22-of-37 for 278 yards, two touchdowns and no picks is a great way to start, no matter who you're playing.

Dallas' Dak Prescott, who was thrown into the fire in a different way because of Tony Romo's health, managed his offense as well as he could against a New York Giants defense that seems to be in a better place these days. Rookie backfield-mate Ezekiel Elliott felt the sting of that, as he gained just 51 yards on 20 carries behind the league's best run-blocking line.

Houston Texans receiver Will Fuller showed he's ready to give quarterback Brock Osweiler another excellent target alongside DeAndre Hopkins. Fuller led all rookies in Week 1 with 107 receiving yards and had three catches of 20-plus yards against the Chicago Bears.

For every highly hyped rookie, there was a supposed "no-name" who came out of nowhere to help his team in unexpected ways. Take the case of Oakland Raiders running back Jalen Richard, an undrafted player from Southern Miss who gashed the New Orleans Saints for 84 rushing yards and a touchdown on three carries and chipped in two receptions to top it off.

Or how about New England Patriots defensive tackle Vincent Valentine, a third-round guy from Nebraska, who tallied a quarterback sack and a quarterback hurry against the Arizona Cardinals on just 19 snaps? Valentine's day was better than that of the Cardinals' Robert Nkemdiche, a highly touted first-round pick.

There there's San Francisco 49ers cornerback Rashard Robinson, who made a case to get serious playing time in the preseason and backed it up against the Los Angeles Rams.

These stories happen every season.

The moral of the story is that you never know who's going to show up (and who isn't) in their first NFL games. Are these great performances indicators of bright futures, and just how much do those who disappointed need to ramp up their games? We'll be monitoring these questions all season for every rookie in the NFL1000 Rookie Review.

All stats courtesy of Pro Football Focus unless otherwise noted.

Biggest Movers Heading into Week 2

Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

How do you quantify the effect of the low-drafted or undrafted star? How do you chart the progress of those rookies who are struggling to make their way? With the weekly NFL1000 Rookie Review, we'll look to do both of those things, and part of that process is to align players with their draft positions relative to their on-field performance.

It's what NFL teams do, and it's what we'll do.

Our Week 1 Rookie Review revealed a number of undrafted and low-drafted players who made immediate impacts, and our top mover of the week fits that description.

1. Rashard Robinson, CB, San Francisco 49ers

2016 Draft Position: 133 (fourth round, 35th pick)

Rank Last Week: Unranked

Rank This Week: 6

What Happened: Academic issues and team violations marked Robinson's LSU tenure in a negative sense and gave NFL teams relatively little tape to work with. The 49ers took a flier on him based on raw talent, and Robinson rewarded that faith with preseason performances that validated his belief he would earn snaps in his NFL debut.

That he did, and though he played just 25 snaps Monday night, no passes were completed in his area, and head coach Chip Kelly mentioned that he looked solid in coverage. General manager Trent Baalke has whiffed on his share of draft risks, but Robinson seems determined to reverse that trend.

2. Jalen Richard, RB, Oakland Raiders

2016 Draft Position: Undrafted

Rank Last Week: Unranked

Rank This Week: 9

What Happened: The 5'8", 207-pound Richard, who wasn't drafted because of his size and his 4.6 40-yard dash at his pro day, looked quick enough against the Saints defense when he scampered for a 75-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to charge Oakland's comeback win.

Richard, who finished his day with 84 yards on three carries and 11 receiving yards on two catches, matched patience through the gaps with a nice second gear on his big highlight play. He'll continue to compete for reps in Oakland's versatile offense.

3. Carson Wentz, QB, Philadelphia Eagles

2016 Draft Position: 2 (first round, second pick)

Rank Last Week: Unranked

Rank This Week: 13

What Happened: Wentz didn't start too many games at North Dakota State; his only pre-NFL experience against tough competition came during Senior Bowl week, and he missed most of the preseason with rib injuries. So, how do we explain the fact that he was able to complete 22 of 37 passes for 278 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions against the Browns?

Well, part of it was that he played against the Browns, but let's not overlook his arm strength, ability to read the field and poise under pressure. He completed just four of the 10 passes he attempted when under pressure, but he didn't make any mistakes and added explosive plays to the playbook. He gave an encouraging debut performance.

4. Joe Thuney and Ted Karras, OG, New England Patriots

2016 Draft Position: Thuney 78 (third round, 15th pick), Karras 221 (sixth round, 46th pick)

Rank Last Week: Thuney 29, Karras 90

Rank This Week: Thuney 18, Karras 22

What Happened: We'll give Bill Belichick this: He's not afraid of anything. In Week 1, he wasn't afraid to play two rookie guards for a high percentage of snaps against Arizona's top-class defensive line, and both Thuney and Karras availed themselves very well against Calais Campbell and Co. Neither player gave up a sack or looked as if the stage was too big for him. The marquee story is Jimmy Garoppolo's performance, but don't overlook the fact that the Patriots had two rookie guards in the game for all but 14 snaps and made it work.

5. DeForest Buckner, DE, San Francisco 49ers

2016 Draft Position: 7 (first round, seventh pick)

Rank Last Week: 92

Rank This Week: 15

What Happened: Buckner had no sacks, hits or hurries for the 49ers in 43 preseason snaps, but it didn't take him long to look the part of a top-drafted player against Los Angeles' sketchy offense.

Buckner moves with far more quickness and grace than you'd expect from a 6'7", 291-pound player, and his recognition skills were excellent. He'll face tougher competition this year, but Buckner's isolated skills are impressive, and his four quarterback hurries were indicative of his overall performance.

Top 50 Rookies Overall from Week 1

Brett Carlsen/Getty Images

Beyond the player grades and rankings in Bleacher Report's NFL1000, we want to zero in on NFL rookies and spotlight the best and worst in their transition from the college game.

Our Week 1 Top 50 Rookie Rankings are based on their Week 1 performances, and we can now see how they shake out against preseason grades and expectations. As these young men head into the next phase of their careers, here's how things stand for the new NFL class.

 

Top 50 Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	NFL1000 Score	LW	Moving
1	Andy Janovich	FB	DEN	176	80	87	↑
2	Darian Thompson	FS	NYG	71	79	10	↑
3	Taylor Decker	OT	DET	16	78	4	↑
4	Ryan Kelly	C	IND	18	77	21	↑
5	Ronnie Stanley	OT	BAL	6	75	1	↓
6	Rashard Robinson	CB	SF	133	75	NR	↑
7	Roberto Aguayo	K	TB	59	75	NR	↑
8	Dak Prescott	QB	DAL	135	74	11	↑
9	Jalen Richard	RB	OAK	UDFA	74	NR	↑
10	Su'a Cravens	ILB	WAS	53	74	59	↑
11	Deion Jones	ILB	ATL	52	74	NR	↑
12	Lachlan Edwards	P	NYJ	235	74	NR	↑
13	Carson Wentz	QB	PHI	2	73	NR	↑
14	Michael Thomas	WR	NO	47	73	25	↑
15	DeForest Buckner	DE	SF	7	73	92	↑
16	Ezekiel Elliott	RB	DAL	4	72	2	↓
17	Will Fuller	WR	HOU	21	72	8	↓
18	Joe Thuney	OG	NE	78	72	29	↑
19	Derrick Kindred	SS	CLE	129	72	60	↑
20	Tyler Ervin	RB	HOU	119	72	51	↑
21	Sterling Shepard	WR	NYG	40	71	13	↓
22	Ted Karras	OG	NE	221	71	90	↑
23	Vernon Butler	DT	CAR	30	71	67	↑
24	Antonio Morrison	ILB	IND	125	71	57	↑
25	Derek Watt	FB	SD	198	70	NR	↑
26	Tajae Sharpe	WR	TEN	140	70	15	↓
27	Laremy Tunsil	OG	MIA	13	70	46	↑
28	Cody Whitehair	C	CHI	56	70	79	↑
29	Kevin Byard	FS	TEN	64	70	85	↑
30	Derrick Henry	RB	TEN	45	69	3	↓
31	Josh Doctson	WR	WAS	22	69	NR	↑
32	De'Vondre Campbell	OLB	ATL	115	69	NR	↑
33	Jalen Ramsey	CB	JAX	5	69	84	↑
34	T.J. Green	FS	IND	57	69	NR	↑
35	Tyler Higbee	TE	LA	110	68	64	↑
36	Carl Nassib	DE	CLE	65	68	NR	↑
37	Jalen Mills	CB	PHI	233	68	NR	↑
38	DeAndre Washington	RB	OAK	143	67	12	↓
39	Leonard Floyd	OLB	CHI	9	67	68	↑
40	C.J. Prosise	RB	SEA	90	66	50	↑
41	Jack Conklin	OT	TEN	8	66	20	↓
42	Jarran Reed	DT	SEA	49	66	42	-
43	Jihad Ward	DT	OAK	44	66	NR	↑
44	Javon Hargrave	DT	PIT	89	66	NR	↑
45	Darron Lee	ILB	NYJ	20	66	98	↑
46	Tyreek Hill	WR	KC	165	65	NR	↑
47	Hunter Henry	TE	SD	35	65	43	↓
48	Austin Hooper	TE	ATL	81	65	44	↓
49	Corey Coleman	WR	CLE	15	65	NR	↑
50	Alex Lewis	OG	BAL	130	65	91	↑

Quarterbacks

Tom Pennington/Getty Images

Statistically, Carson Wentz was better than he was on tape. He had three really impressive throws; two were long touchdowns, but his ball placement was spotty overall. He has a tendency to overthrow his receivers when he misses.

More importantly, Wentz wasn't asked to make many difficult plays because of how the Philadelphia Eagles called the game and because of how awful the Cleveland Browns defense was. The Browns couldn't get any pressure up front and couldn't cover anyone on the back end. That's a fatal combination against any quarterback.

Grading Scale

Acc. — Accuracy (Graded out of 25)
Arm — Arm Strength (Graded out of 25)
Press. — Pressure/Run Threat (Graded out of 20)
Dec. — Decision-Making (Graded out of 20)
Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall — Top Possible Score of 100
LW — Rank Last Week

Rookie QB Rankings Week 1

Rank	Player	Team	Acc.	Arm	Press.	Dec.	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Dak Prescott	DAL	15	18	15	16	10	74	1	-
2	Carson Wentz	PHI	16	18	14	15	10	73	3	↑

   

Notable Omissions

Paxton Lynch: Did not play
Jared Goff: Inactive

 

Notable Performances

Dak Prescott

Week 1 stats: 25-of 45 for 227 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT

Prescott looked comfortable breaking down coverages from the pocket, showing off patience when given time and reacting quickly when pressure threatened. He has demonstrated his poise; now he needs to display more precision and an ability to throw receivers open over the middle of the field. Everything the Cowboys do in the passing game can't rely on success on the ground.

 

Carson Wentz

Week 1 stats: 22-of-37 for 278 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT

Wentz's debut gave the Eagles reasons to be optimistic about him moving forward, but it didn't show much more than his college tape. He had three impressive throws, but they all came when he wasn't pressured. Part of that was because Wentz got rid of the ball quickly, but mostly it was the complete absence of resistance from the defense. When he reveals his pocket movement and ability to deliver with a hand in his face, he can move up the overall rankings.

Running Backs

Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Week 1 turned out to be more of a struggle than a success for the league's rookie backs. Ezekiel Elliott faced a Giants defense that was geared to stop him and make Dak Prescott win through the air. Elliott consistently saw seven-man boxes and linebackers who were all in on stopping the run. While Elliott ran hard all day, there really wasn't much room for him to operate. He did have a nice touchdown run, but his first start will leave the Cowboys wanting more.

If Prescott doesn't prove he can win consistently through the air, Elliott will be dealing with defenders in his face week in and week out. All it will take is a couple of Dez Bryant plays to open up some daylight for the former Buckeye star.

Meanwhile, Tennessee's Derrick Henry found out the NFL is not the SEC, and the Vikings are not exactly Georgia or Florida. Minnesota's stellar run defense held Henry to just three yards on five carries. While Henry did not produce on the ground, he found a way to be productive with 41 receiving yards and an eye-opening 29-yard reception. As the competition declines, Henry will make his mark on this league.

The standout run of the weekend came from Raiders undrafted free agent Jalen Richard. He had a 75-yard house call that helped Oakland win. Richard's carries should only continue to increase after he flashed special playmaking abilities for a team looking to define its running back rotation.

Grading Scale

In — Inside Running (Graded out of 25)
Out — Outside Running (Graded out of 25)
Rec. — Receiving (Graded out of 20)
Blk. — Blocking (Graded out of 20)
Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall — Top Possible Score of 100
LW — Rank Last Week

Rookie RB Rankings Week 1

Rank	Player	Team	In	Out	Rec.	Blk	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Jalen Richard	OAK	21	18	15	14	6	74	NR	↑
2	Ezekiel Elliott	DAL	17	18	15	16	6	72	1	↓
3	Tyler Ervin	HOU	16	18	16	15	6	71	9	↑
4	Derrick Henry	TEN	15	15	18	15	6	69	2	↓
5	DeAndre Washington	OAK	15	15	17	14	6	67	4	↓
6	C.J. Prosise	SEA	14	16	16	14	6	66	8	↑
7	Devontae Booker	DEN	12	12	13	14	6	57	3	↓

 

Notable Omissions

Kenneth Dixon: Out, torn MCL
Jordan Howard: Did not play
Jonathan Williams: Inactive
Darius Jackson: Inactive
Paul Perkins: Inactive

 

Notable Performances

Jalen Richard

Week 1 stats: 3 carries, 84 yards, 1 TD; 2 receptions, 11 yards

Richard was a game-changer for Oakland. He busted a 75-yard run—the longest of the weekend by 30 yards—and got the Raiders back in the game. He has both the short and deep speed while also displaying make-you-miss wiggle. He should continue to get more carries.

 

Ezekiel Elliott

Week 1 stats: 20 carries, 51 yards, 1 TD

While Elliott ran hard, he had limited opportunities while playing alongside a rookie quarterback, which led to a stacked box. While he did have a nice touchdown run, his long run of the afternoon was eight yards, and he did not see much daylight. Until Prescott beats people in the air, expect a lot of defenders to key in on No. 21.

 

Derrick Henry

Week 1 stats: 5 carries, 3 yards, 0 TD; 2 receptions, 41 yards

Henry had a long day on the ground against one of the NFL's best run defenses. While his long run of the day was five yards, he did make an impact in the passing game. He had a 29-yard play where he reversed field and made multiple men miss. Expect him to get better as the competition gets easier.

Fullbacks

Justin Edmonds/Getty Images

Only a couple of rookie fullbacks played major roles in Week 1, but both were very good. Denver's Andy Janovich was a hammer against Carolina's great linebackers; he was relentless and physical on power running plays. Janovich showed the physical toughness necessary to be a top-end player at his position in this league. He also flashed playmaking ability on a 28-yard run for his first career TD. He looks like a perfect fit for head coach Gary Kubiak's offense.

In addition, it's not a coincidence that San Diego's Melvin Gordon had his breakout game in Derek Watt's first NFL start. Watt was active and willing to throw his body around. He should continue to carve out a niche role as the season progresses.

Grading Scale

Blk. — Blocking (Graded out of 50)
Run — Running (Graded out of 25)
Rec. — Receiving (Graded out of 15)
Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall — Top Possible Score of 100
LW — Rank Last Week

Rookie FB Rankings Week 1

Rank	Player	Team	Blk.	Run	Rec.	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Andy Janovich	DEN	45	22	9	4	80	1	-
2	Derek Watt	SD	42	16	8	4	70	3	↑

 

Notable Omissions

Dan Vitale: Cut (FA)

 

Notable Performance

Andy Janovich

Week 1 stats: 1 carry, 28 yards, 1 TD

Janovich was excellent in his first start. He was able to handle blocking star linebackers in space while also busting off a big touchdown run.

Wide Receivers

Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

While some notable rookies found themselves on the sideline during Week 1, including Minnesota's Laquon Treadwell, others made solid debuts. Will Fuller, despite an early drop, rebounded with five catches for 107 yards and a touchdown; he was one of a handful of receivers to go over 100 yards in the NFL last weekend.

Tajae Sharpe notched seven catches for 76 yards for the Tennessee Titans, and he remains one of the more interesting storylines coming out of training camp. Two other rookies showed some skills: Sterling Shepard caught a touchdown for the Giants, while the Saints' Michael Thomas hauled in six passes for 58 yards while displaying impressive ability after the catch.

Grading Scale

Rte. — Route Running (Graded out of 25)
Hds. — Hands (Graded out of 25)
YAC — Run-After-Catch ability (Graded out of 20)
Blk. — Blocking (Graded out of 20)
Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall — Top Possible Score of 100
LW — Rank Last Week

Rookie WR Rankings Week 1

Rank	Player	Team	Rte.	Hds.	YAC	Blk.	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Michael Thomas	NO	19	20	15	11	8	73	8	↑
2	Will Fuller	HOU	20	16	18	10	8	72	1	↓
3	Sterling Shepard	NYG	18	18	14	13	8	71	2	↓
4	Tajae Sharpe	TEN	19	20	12	11	8	70	4	-
5	Josh Doctson	WAS	16	18	14	13	8	69	NR	↑
6	Tyreek Hill	KC	15	16	14	12	8	65	19	↑
7	Corey Coleman	CLE	14	17	12	13	8	64	17	↑
8	Chris Moore	BAL	13	14	14	13	8	62	12	↑
9	Braxton Miller	HOU	13	16	12	11	8	60	3	↓
10	Malcolm Mitchell	NE	14	15	11	12	8	60	9	↓
11	Leonte Carroo	MIA	15	15	10	12	8	60	15	↑
12	Tyler Boyd	CIN	14	15	12	11	8	60	11	↓
13	Ricardo Louis	CLE	13	12	10	14	8	57	23	↑
14	Charone Peake	NYJ	12	12	10	10	8	52	6	↓

 

Notable Omissions

Laquon Treadwell: Zero snaps
Pharoh Cooper: Inactive (shoulder)
Mike Thomas (L.A.): One snap
Trevor Davis: Inactive (shoulder)
Devin Fuller: Injured reserve
Kenny Lawler: Practice squad

 

Notable Performances

Sterling Shepard

Week 1 stats: 3 receptions, 43 yards, 1 TD

Shepard turned in a solid performance in his debut for the New York Giants. He caught his first NFL touchdown on a nice goal-line fade route, leaping over the back of the defender to pull in the throw from Eli Manning. He was targeted four times.

 

Michael Thomas

Week 1 stats: 6 receptions, 58 yards, 0 TD

Thomas saw six targets from Drew Brees, pulling in all six for 58 yards. He showed some yard-after-the-catch ability on a slant route in the second quarter, using a nice stutter move to juke the defender.

 

Tight Ends

Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

Rookie tight ends were mostly quiet during Week 1. Atlanta's Austin Hooper did notch one reception, but his most notable play of the game might have been a false start on a 1st-and-goal situation at the Tampa Bay 1-yard line. Tyler Higbee was targeted four times but only had one reception for a two-yard gain.

The most impressive effort might have been the blocking of Minnesota's David Morgan, who lined up all over the field to block and had an impressive game in that capacity. San Diego's Hunter Henry saw 30 snaps in the Chargers' loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, nearly half of the team's offensive plays, and notched one reception for 20 yards.

Grading Scale

Rte. — Route Running (Graded out of 25)
Hds. — Hands (Graded out of 25)
YAC — Run-After-Catch ability (Graded out of 20)
Blk. — Blocking (Graded out of 20)
Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall — Top Possible Score of 100
LW — Rank Last Week

Rookie TE Rankings Week 1

Rank	Player	Team	Rte.	Hds.	YAC	Blk.	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Tyler Higbee	LA	15	18	10	19	6	68	3	↑
2	Hunter Henry	SD	14	17	10	18	6	65	1	↓
3	Austin Hooper	ATL	14	17	10	18	6	65	2	↓
4	David Morgan	MIN	11	14	10	22	6	63	5	↑

 

Notable Omissions

Nick Vannett: Inactive
Jerell Adams: Inactive
Rico Gathers: Practice squad
Temarrick Hemingway: Inactive

 

Notable Performances

Tyler Higbee

Week 1 stats: 1 reception, 2 yards, 0 TD

Higbee, and the rest of the Rams offense, struggled to get on track. The rookie was targeted four times with only one catch.

 

Austin Hooper

Week 1 stats: 1 reception, 9 yards, 0 TD

Hooper was targeted once and hauled it in for a 14-yard gain. Offsetting that, he did have an false start penalty on a 1st-and-goal situation at the Tampa Bay 1-yard line.

 

Hunter Henry

Week 1 stats: 1 reception, 20 yards, 0 TD

The 2015 Mackey Award winner, Henry saw 30 snaps, good for nearly half of San Diego's plays in the loss to the Chiefs. He notched one catch for 20 yards. Henry will see more time when the Chargers run two-tight end sets, and his blocking ability will ensure increases in his snap count over time.

Offensive Tackles

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Only two rookie left tackles started and saw significant game action in Week 1: Ronnie Stanley of the Baltimore Ravens and Taylor Decker of the Detroit Lions. Stanley had a strong preseason showing, and that allowed him to step right into Week 1 without being overwhelmed.

Though Stanley's Week 1 performance wasn't as dominant as it was in the preseason, he had a solid outing versus the talented edge players of the Buffalo Bills. Decker's preseason wasn't as smooth as Stanley's, but the Detroit rook had a good game versus the Indianapolis Colts. Nothing popped out as a negative, and Decker's run blocking was a highlight.

Grading Scale

OT — Left or Right Tackle Designation
Pass — Pass Protection (Graded out of 25)
Run — Run Blocking (Graded out of 25)
Pwr. — Power (Graded out of 20)
Agl. — Agility (Graded out of 20)
Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall — Top Possible Score of 100
LW — Rank Last Week

Rookie OT Rankings Week 1

Rank	Player	Team	OT	Pass	Run	Pwr.	Agl.	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Taylor Decker	DET	LT	20	20	15	15	8	78	2	↑
2	Ronnie Stanley	BAL	LT	20	15	15	17	8	75	1	↓
3	Jack Conklin	TEN	RT	17	15	14	13	7	66	4	↑

 

Notable Omissions

Le'Raven Clark: Insufficient snaps
Jason Spriggs: Insufficient snaps
Spence Drango: Insufficient snaps

 

Notable Performances

Taylor Decker

Decker had some impressive moments in Week 1. The most memorable came on a first-quarter touchdown. He was able to track right off the hip of the 3-technique tackle who was to be trapped by the pulling right guard and fit onto the middle linebacker, springing a 21-yard touchdown run. That is not an easy block to make for a seasoned veteran, let alone a rookie.

Offensive Guards

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Not only did New England start Jimmy Garoppolo in place of the suspended Tom Brady, but Bill Belichick also went into this game with two rookie guards. Both acquitted themselves fairly well, allowing no sacks and a handful of pressures.

Miami's Laremy Tunsil adjusted nicely to a position change from his college days and did a nice job of run blocking against Seattle's estimable front seven, and Baltimore's Alex Lewis teamed with left tackle Ronnie Stanley for an all-rookie left side. It was also notable that Chip Kelly sat Joshua Garnett, the 28th overall pick in the 2016 draft, as he works to unseat Andrew Tiller.

Grading Scale

Pass — Pass Protection (Graded out of 25)
Run — Run Blocking (Graded out of 25)
Pwr. — Power (Graded out of 20)
Agl. — Agility (Graded out of 20)
Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall — Top Possible Score of 100
LW — Rank Last Week

Rookie OG Rankings Week 1

Rank	Player	Team	Pass	Run	Pwr.	Agl.	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Joe Thuney	NE	17	15	15	18	7	72	2	↑
2	Ted Karras	NE	16	18	17	13	7	71	9	↑
3	Laremy Tunsil	MIA	17	15	15	16	7	70	4	↑
4	Alex Lewis	BAL	16	13	14	14	7	64	10	↑
5	Parker Ehinger	KC	11	15	14	13	7	60	11	↑

 

Notable Omissions

Germain Ifedi: Injured
Joshua Garnett: Inactive

 

Notable Performances

Parker Ehinger

Ehinger struggled in pass protection, which is not encouraging considering he matched up against the Chargers. I liked Ehinger's college tape at Cincinnati, but the pro game is exposing his lack of natural athletic ability right now.

 

Ted Karras

Karras continues to display impressive strength at the point of attack, especially in the run game. He held up well for a rookie who was playing his first game against a tough Cardinals front seven.

 

Joshua Garnett

Notable for all the wrong reasons, Garnett was a healthy inactive for the 49ers after being a presumed starter coming out of the preseason. We will likely see more craziness in San Francisco as the revolving door at guard continues to spin.

Centers

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

In 2015, two rookie centers played in at least 50 percent of their team's snaps: Kansas City's Mitch Morse and New England's David Andrews. It's a tough call for a first-year player to man the middle of the offensive line, especially when he's responsible for line calls and protection adjustments in addition to fending off 340-pound nose tackles and complex blitz packages.

This season, two rookies started at the position on opening day, and each player made an impact. Ryan Kelly of the Colts gave his team much-needed consistency at the line, while Chicago's Cody Whitehair showed he has the football acumen to take to a new position with relatively few issues.

Grading Scale

Pass — Pass Protection (Graded out of 25)
Run — Run Blocking (Graded out of 25)
Pwr. — Power (Graded out of 20)
Agl. — Agility (Graded out of 20)
Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall — Top Possible Score of 100
LW — Rank Last Week

Rookie C Rankings Week 1

Rank	Player	Team	Pass	Run	Pwr.	Agl.	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Ryan Kelly	IND	19	20	14	18	6	77	1	-
2	Cody Whitehair	CHI	15	18	15	16	6	70	NR	↑

 

Notable Omissions

Evan Boehm: Did not play
Max Tuerk: Did not play

 

Notable Performances

Ryan Kelly

Week 1 stats: 70 snaps, 1 QB hurry allowed

Kelly came out of the box as expected of a player coming from Alabama's offense: He looked like a fifth-year pro in his first NFL start. He's quick off the snap, fluid in his first movement off the ball and practiced at charging and walling off to either side.

He needs to be a bit more consistent and aggressive when firing out to deal with defenders, but he has a nice pass set and understands the game at a preternatural level. Colts GM Ryan Grigson has been (rightly) pilloried over the last few years for iffy drafts, but Kelly looks like a slam dunk.

 

Cody Whitehair

Week 1 stats: 57 snaps, 1 sack and 1 QB hurry allowed

A left tackle his last two seasons at Kansas State, Whitehair was more adept at the switch to center than one might expect—of course, it helps when your guards are Josh Sitton and Kyle Long. But Whitehair, who dropped in the draft because of his short arms and projected move to guard, has no trouble with the agility required for the position. He's also powerful, which he showed in multiple snaps with big Vince Wilfork right over him.

Whitehair had some issues with Houston's inside blitz looks, allowing a sack and a hurry when the Texans loaded the A-gaps, but this was a solid first performance.

3-4 Defensive Ends

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

With Joey Bosa still figuring things out post-holdout in San Diego, it was up to San Francisco's DeForest Buckner—the second end selected in the 2016 draft—to show out for his position. That he did against a catastrophically predictable and ineffective Rams offense Monday night, amassing four quarterback hurries and looking solid against the run. The 49ers have a lot to get done on offense, but their front seven may surprise this season, and Buckner could be a big part of that.

Third-round pick Carl Nassib of the Browns went against the grain of his generally subpar defensive line, registering a sack and several quarterback pressures. More was expected of Arizona's Robert Nkemdiche than he showed against the Patriots, but that transition could take a while. After one regular-season week, Buckner is the runaway winner at this position when it comes to rookie performance.

Grading Scale

Exp. — Snap Explosion (Graded out of 15)
Pass — Pass Rush (Graded out of 25)
Run — Run Defense (Graded out of 30)
Tkl. — Tackling (Graded out of 20)
Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall — Top Possible Score of 100
LW — Rank Last Week

Rookie 3-4 DE Rankings Week 1

Rank	Player	Team	Exp.	Pass	Run	Tkl.	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	DeForest Buckner	SF	12	19	22	14	6	73	2	↑
2	Carl Nassib	CLE	12	14	18	18	6	68	9	↑
3	Robert Nkemdiche	AR	10	10	15	10	6	51	4	↑

 

Notable Omissions

Chris Jones: Played only 12 snaps
Dean Lowry: Insufficient snaps
Bronson Kaufusi: Injured reserve
Joey Bosa: Inactive
Ronald Blair: Insufficient snaps

 

Notable Performances

DeForest Buckner

Week 1 stats: 51 snaps, 4 QB hurries

Some people believe the 49ers got the better of the deal when it came to pass-rushers when they selected Buckner in the first round with Joey Bosa off the board. Buckner did his best to live up to that in his first NFL start, registering several quarterback pressures and displaying outlandish speed in space for a man his size. In conjunction with fellow Oregon alum Arik Armstead, Bucker is looking to bolster San Francisco's redefined defensive line right away.

 

Carl Nassib

Week 1 stats: 3 tackles, 1 sack, 1 batted pass

Nassib looked long, athletic and willing to play the run. He also got into the quarterback's face on a couple of snaps. The sack came when the center and left guard both passed Nassib off, and he did the rest from there.

4-3 Defensive Ends

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

As expected with young defensive linemen, most of the rookies found themselves inactive, on the bench or playing special teams.  Noah Spence and Yannick Ngakoue showed why they have roles with their teams early in their rookie seasons.

Grading Scale

Pass — Pass Rush (Graded out of 25)
Run — Run Defense (Graded out of 25)
Exp — Snap Explosion (Graded out of 20)
Tkl — Tackling (Graded out of 20)
Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall — Top Possible Score of 100
LW — Rank Last Week

Rookie 4-3 DE Rankings Week 1

Rank	Player	Team	Pass	Run	Exp.	Tkl.	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Yannick Ngakoue	JAX	10	13	16	12	7	58	NR	↑
2	Noah Spence	TB	12	8	15	12	7	54	1	↓

 

Notable Omissions

Shilique Calhoun: Insufficient snaps
Charles Tapper: Insufficient snaps
Stephen Weatherly: Insufficient snaps
Anthony Zettel: Inactive
Alex McCalister: Injured reserve

 

Defensive Tackles

Frederick Breedon/Getty Images

Few rookie defensive tackles got significant minutes in Week 1, but Carolina's Vernon Butler, New England's Vincent Valentine and Pittsburgh's Javon Hargrave all made an impact while they were on the field. Butler and Valentine recorded the first sacks of their careers, while Hargrave was a stalwart against Washington's rushing attack.

Early returns look good on these three defensive tackles. In addition, Hassan Ridgeway played well for the Colts in their season opener against Detroit.

Grading Scale

Exp — Snap Explosion (Graded out of 25)
Pass — Pass Rush (Graded out of 25)
Run — Run Defense (Graded out of 25)
Tkl — Tackling (Graded out of 15)
Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall — Top Possible Score of 100
LW — Rank Last Week

Rookie DT Rankings Week 1

Rank	Player	Team	Exp.	Pass	Run	Tkl.	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Vernon Butler	CAR	17	19	17	12	6	71	6	↑
2	Jarran Reed	SEA	16	14	17	13	6	66	5	↑
3	Jihad Ward	OAK	16	13	17	14	6	66	9	↑
4	Javon Hargrave	PIT	16	15	17	12	6	66	11	↑
5	Hassan Ridgeway	IND	16	15	15	12	6	64	18	↑
6	A'Shawn Robinson	DET	15	14	17	12	6	64	7	↑
7	Maliek Collins	DAL	17	13	14	13	6	63	8	↑
8	Vincent Valentine	NE	14	14	17	12	6	63	17	↑
9	Adolphus Washington	BUF	14	15	15	12	6	62	10	↑
10	Quinton Jefferson	SEA	14	14	12	11	6	57	19	↑
11	Darius Latham	OAK	13	12	14	12	6	57	20	↑
12	David Onyemata	NO	13	12	13	10	6	54	22	↑

 

Notable Omissions

Kenny Clark: Insufficient snaps
Sheldon Day: Insufficient snaps
Austin Johnson: Zero snaps
Adam Gotsis: Insufficient snaps

 

Notable Performances

Vernon Butler

Week 1 stats: 1 tackle, 1 sack

Butler recorded his first career sack in the season-opening loss against the Denver Broncos. Aside from the long touchdown run by Andy Janovich, he played the run well and is off to a promising start.

 

Vincent Valentine

Week 1 stats: 3 tackles, 1 sack

Valentine also recorded the first sack of his career and showed off impressive movement for a 320-pounder. Maliek Collins, his teammate at Nebraska, may have been highly praised before the draft, but Valentine had the better debut.

 

Javon Hargrave

Week 1 stats: 0 tackles

Hargrave was a devastating 3-technique in college, but the Steelers put him at nose tackle for the season opener against Washington. He got push versus the run and flashed some of his trademark penetration ability.

3-4 Outside Linebackers

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Only a handful of rookies saw major snaps at 3-4 outside linebacker in Week 1. Leonard Floyd was the best of the bunch, although his regular-season debut was far from dominant. He played a majority of the snaps for the Bears opposite Willie Young, but at this point in his young career, he's nothing more than a speed-rusher.

The Texans easily blocked him in the run game, as he didn't show the necessary snap-to-snap power required to consistently set the edge. He also needs to develop a countermove when teams start pushing him upfield in the passing game.

Cleveland's Joe Schobert and Emmanuel Ogbah got a long look against the Eagles, but each drew a tough assignment against Philadelphia's strong offensive tackles. Neither was able to create consistent pressure or disrupt the run game. They will be major players for the Browns moving forward, but both men need time to develop into NFL quality edge players.

Matt Judon received some of Elvis Dumervil's snaps for the Ravens, but he was quiet as a pass-rusher after impressing in the preseason. The same goes for Kevin Dodd, who saw more of the field in the second half after Derrick Morgan left with an injury. He was a non-factor in his 15 snaps.

Green Bay's Kyler Fackrell played on a handful of passing downs in Jacksonville but struggled to create disruption on the edge. He's all speed and no power as a rusher. This isn't a deep group of rookie edge players right now.

Grading Scale

Pass — Pass Rush (Graded out of 25)
Run — Run Defense (Graded out of 25)
Cov. — Coverage (Graded out of 15)
Tkl. — Tackling (Graded out of 25)
Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall — Top Possible Score of 100
LW — Rank Last Week

Rookie 3-4 OLB Rankings Week 1

Rank	Player	Team	Pass	Run	Cov.	Tkl.	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Leonard Floyd	CHI	17	15	11	17	7	67	1	-
2	Joe Schobert	CLE	13	16	11	16	7	63	4	↑
3	Matt Judon	BAL	13	16	9	17	7	62	NR	↑
4	Emmanuel Ogbah	CLE	14	14	9	17	7	61	NR	↑
5	Kevin Dodd	TEN	13	15	9	16	7	60	NR	↑
6	Kyler Fackrell	GB	13	13	10	14	7	57	5	↓

 

Notable Omissions

Shaq Lawson: PUP
Jordan Jenkins: Inactive
Dadi Nicolas: Did not play
Curt Maggitt: Did not play

 

Notable Performances

Leonard Floyd

Week 1 stats: 6 tackles, 0.5 sacks, 1 QB hit

Floyd played the majority of the snaps at outside linebacker for the Bears defense. His first step still jumps off the screen, but his lack of both power and polished countermoves will limit his ability to be an every-down factor on the edge. On his sack, he used speed to get around the tackle and finish at the quarterback.

Floyd fights in the run game but doesn't have the size or power to consistently get off blocks. My guess is the Bears staff will give him credit for fighting back to the ball on plays where he's initially blocked up on the edge.

 

Joe Schobert

Week 1 stats: 1 tackle, 1 pass defended

Schobert is an effort player who lacked the speed and size to consistently cause havoc against Philadelphia's starting offensive tackles. He set the edge well on a few run plays, but teams aren't going to be scared to run his way. His pressures against Carson Wentz came on hustle plays when he never stopped going after the quarterback, including one where he batted down one of Wentz's pressured attempts.

 

Emmanuel Ogbah

Week 1 stats: 1 tackle, 1 pass defended

Ogbah made a splash play early when he read a bubble screen and disrupted the passing lane for a deflection. He was mostly quiet from that point on, especially when he lined up against Eagles tackle Jason Peters. The veteran offensive lineman had an answer for every question Ogbah gave him.

The rookie will work back to the ball on run plays, but he also needs to get better at gaining leverage, disengaging from the block and making a play on the ball-carrier. Better days are ahead for Ogbah, especially with the Browns committed to giving him snaps in Year 1.

4-3 Outside Linebackers

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

The Atlanta Falcons drafted inside linebacker Deion Jones in the second round, but De'Vondre Campbell, their later linebacker selection, is proving himself to be a fine player early on. Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Campbell was on the field for most of the game and was asked to handle a number of different tasks.

He was active and instinctive as a run defender, even accounting for a tackle for loss. Campbell was asked to play a good deal of man coverage, and while that's a daunting task for any rookie, he proved he could run with skill players in coverage. He needs to work on getting his head around and avoiding penalties, but his athletic ability and recognition skills are a good base for coverage play.

Outside of Campbell, no rookie linebackers saw enough snaps for us to get a feel for them. Myles Jack, the Jaguars' second-round selection, did not see any defensive snaps in his debut. It will be interesting when Jack and other rookie linebackers begin to see more snaps.

Grading Scale

Cov. — Coverage (Graded out of 25)
Run — Run Defense (Graded out of 25)
Pass — Pass Rush (Graded out of 15)
Tkl. — Tackling (Graded out of 25)
Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall — Top Possible Score of 100
LW - Rank Last Week

Rookie 4-3 OLB Rankings Week 1

Rank	Player	Team	Cov.	Run	Pass	Tkl.	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	De'Vondre Campbell	ATL	18	20	8	17	6	69	4	↑

 

Notable Omissions

Jaylon Smith: Injured
Myles Jack: Played only special teams 

 

Notable Performances

De'Vondre Campbell

Week 1 stats: 4 tackles, 1 tackle for loss

It was not a special outing by any means, but Campbell held his own. He was asked to handle myriad responsibilities and did so quite well. There were bleak moments, like his missed tackle that led to a Charles Sims touchdown, but he flashed moments of brilliance, including a tackle for loss that he cleaned up for teammate Grady Jarrett.

Inside Linebackers

Brian Blanco/Getty Images

Most rookie linebackers enjoyed Week 1 from the sidelines, but a few key defenders saw action and kick-started their year. Unfortunately, only Green Bay's Blake Martinez knows the feeling of a win, and he had little to do with why Green Bay made it out of Florida with a 1-0 record.

Su'a Cravens kicked off the Monday Night Football season with a strong showing against the Pittsburgh Steelers and their dynamic offense. Cravens mirrored what many saw from him in college and the preseason. He's comfortable in coverage and looks to have the physical style of play that makes him a young candidate to be the next hybrid defensive star. He earns the highest rookie grade of the week for allowing only three catches and immediately securing tackles that went for little gain.

Deion Jones started for the Atlanta Falcons and took his lumps like most rookies do in their first game. Nonetheless, he recovered well and ended up looking much more comfortable playing the majority of the time. Jones is athletic, rangy and comfortable in coverage. The Falcons have supplanted veteran starters by pairing Jones with rookie outside linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, and the two played well enough to solidify those positions moving forward.

Martinez learned that the NFL doesn’t slow down for rookies and even teams like Jacksonville will embarrass you if you aren’t ready. He looked lost in coverage and reminded all of us to pump the brakes on the expectations for rookies. Building a young corps on defense is enticing, but veterans bring experience that often trumps the abilities of rookies. Martinez will have to acclimate quickly because the Packers have few other options at inside linebacker.

Grading Scale

Cov. — Coverage (Graded out of 25)
Run — Run Defense (Graded out of 35)
Pass —Pass Rush (Graded out of 15)
Tkl. — Tackling (Graded out of 15)
Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall — Top Possible Score of 100
LW — Rank Last Week

Rookie ILB Rankings Week 1

Rank	Player	Team	Cov.	Run	Pass	Tkl.	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Su'a Cravens	WAS	22	25	10	11	6	74	NR	↑
2	Deion Jones	ATL	18	27	10	13	6	74	11	↑
3	Antonio Morrison	IND	19	27	8	11	6	71	3	↓
4	Darron Lee	NYJ	17	25	8	10	6	66	9	↑
5	Blake Martinez	GB	14	22	7	10	6	59	4	↓

 

Notable Omissions

Nick Kwiatkoski: Insufficient snaps
Josh Perry: Insufficient snaps
Josh Forrest: Insufficient snaps
Elandon Roberts: Insufficient snaps
Tyler Matakevich: Insufficient snaps

 

Notable Performances

Su'a Cravens

Week 1 stats: 4 tackles, 1 QB hurry

Cravens played primarily in coverage and handled himself well for a rookie in his first game. He finished with one hurry while rushing the quarterback and quickly turned three completions into short gains with secure tackling. After one game, the early signs of Cravens' play are encouraging. Washington's ability to manage Cravens and move him will produce immediate flexibility within the defense.

 

Darron Lee

Week 1 stats: 6 tackles

Lee was used in coverage often, and the New York Jets appear to be transitioning to a base 4-3 defense. If so, expect Lee to continue to see the field, primarily as an outside linebacker. He gave up one long catch after failing to disrupt a seam route, but he settled in and played more than 25 snaps.

 

Deion Jones

Week 1 Stats: 6 tackles

Jones started the game and, despite being pulled briefly for rest, appeared in control and comfortable as a rookie. He had one missed tackle and was targeted in underneath coverage multiple times, but his recognition improved as the game progressed. For a first performance, the Falcons have to be enthusiastic about Jones' play.

Cornerbacks

Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Being a rookie cornerback in the pass-centric NFL is a tremendous challenge, but several of the 2016 first-year defenders made a positive impact on their defenses in Week 1. Two of our top three rookies were both first-round picks in the 2016 class, with Jacksonville Jaguars corner Jalen Ramsey and Tampa Bay Buccaneers corner Vernon Hargreaves playing like veterans. Philadelphia Eagles seventh-round pick Jalen Mills joins the two blue-chippers, slotting in just behind Ramsey for the best performance of the week.

Ramsey is known for being a versatile defensive weapon from his playmaking days at Florida State. The Jaguars tried to replicate the formula that showcased his skills the most in college, as he aligned in the slot on 31 passing plays. Whether he was blitzing off the edge or dropping into coverage, the Packers paid careful attention to the ball hawk and targeted him just once; the pass fell incomplete.

Miami Dolphins second-round pick Xavien Howard stepped into the starting role against the Seattle Seahawks and came away without a blown coverage or major negative play. Considering his limited participation throughout training camp and the preseason due to an injury, this was a success. He’s a hard-nosed tackler as well, which stood out immediately against Seattle. He allowed five completions on nine targets, including four receptions on six attempts while in off-coverage.

Speaking of hard-nosed play, the 49ers' Rashard Robinson can't weigh more than 175 pounds, but you would never know based on the way he fights blockers. Like Mills, he didn't play as often as the other guys, but he also didn't make mistakes. That's tough to do as a rookie—I don't care which receivers you face.

Is Robinson the next great LSU defensive back? Not so fast. But it was a promising first week for a guy who should see an uptick in playing time moving forward.

Grading Scale

Cov. — Coverage (Graded out of 30)
Rec. — Reaction/Recovery (Graded out of 30)
Slot — Slot Performance (Graded out of 20)
Tkl. — Tackling (Graded out of 10)
Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall — Top Possible Score of 100
LW — Rank Last Week

Rookie CB Rankings Week 1

Rank	Player	Team	Cov.	Rec.	Slot	Tkl.	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Rashard Robinson	SF	23	21	17	5	9	75	13	↑
2	Jalen Ramsey	JAX	18	20	16	6	9	69	2	↓
3	Jalen Mills	PHI	19	19	15	6	9	68	5	↑
4	Vernon Hargreaves	TB	16	17	16	6	9	64	1	↓
5	Xavien Howard	MIA	16	14	10	9	9	58	14	↑
6	Eli Apple	NYG	15	13	13	5	9	55	8	↑
7	Tavon Young	BAL	14	15	12	5	9	55	19	↑
8	Brandon Williams	ARI	12	13	13	7	9	54	23	↑
9	Anthony Brown	DAL	12	14	13	5	9	53	22	↑
10	James Bradberry	CAR	13	12	13	5	9	52	3	↓
11	Mackensie Alexander	MIN	12	12	13	6	9	52	4	↓
12	Sean Davis	PIT	14	14	13	6	9	42	7	↓

Notable Omissions

Cyrus Jones: Insufficient snaps
KeiVarae Russell: Did not play
Will Redmond: Insufficient snaps
William Jackson III: Out for season
Artie Burns: Insufficient snaps

 

Notable Performances

Jalen Ramsey

Week 1 stats: 3 tackles

Ramsey had a standout opening game. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers stayed away from Ramsey throughout the game, targeting his assignment just once with an errant pass in the end zone. Ramsey boosted the Jaguars defense by playing 31 snaps in the slot on passing plays and another five outside of the hashes when he wasn't in the slot. Ramsey's versatility will continue to allow the Jaguars to play improvisational rotations with their talented cornerback trio of him, Davon House and Prince Amukamara.

 

Vernon Hargreaves

Week 1 stats: 5 tackles, 8 targets, 5 catches allowed

The rookie from Florida had a great preseason, and his first real test came against Julio Jones. Hargreaves did give up three first downs with a pair of blown coverages, but he also had a nose for the football. Putting himself in position to make plays, he came up with a nice run stop and a pass breakup. If not for his two missed tackles, his grade would be higher. The future looks bright for the youngster who made plays against Jones.

 

Jalen Mills

Week 1 stats: 2 tackles, 2 targets, 1 catch allowed

The most impressive rookie in the NFC didn't play much, but when he did, he made it count. Mills gave up only one reception on three targets; it was a short pass where he made the tackle right as the receiver caught it. He looked aggressive and confident. He seemed aware in zone coverage as he took away some routes and came up to play the run. Mills has a chance to be the best corner on the roster if he keeps this up.

Free Safeties

Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

Darian Thompson was the highlight of the rookie safety group. He didn't start after an injury concern but ended up playing a solid number of snaps and catching eyes. On one play, he read and mirrored the cutback by Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliot and made the tackle at the line of scrimmage for no gain.

He was strong in coverage too, making a quick read and breaking on a play-action bootleg pass to the flat, making the tackle and keeping the gain to a minimum.

Kevin Byard did good work in his limited role with the Titans. Like Thompson, he made a good play on a bootleg pass to the flat, limiting the gain. He also made one impressive tackle on Adrian Peterson, despite Peterson attempting to juke him. The Titans have a solid rotation of safeties, so Byard's role might be limited for a few weeks, but this was a solid start for him.

T.J. Green was perhaps thrust into a starting role before he was ready, but he had to start given the state of the Colts secondary. While he wasn't completely exposed, he did miss a couple of tackles and was out of position once or twice in coverage. That said, he filled in well on a couple of run plays and made a critical tackle on a Theo Riddick option route to save a touchdown.

Grading Scale

Cov. — Coverage (Graded out of 30)
Rec. — Reaction/Recovery (Graded out of 30)
Slot — Slot Performance (Graded out of 10)
Tkl. — Tackling (Graded out of 20)
Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall — Top Possible Score of 100
LW — Rank Last Week

Rookie FS Rankings Week 1

Rank	Player	Team	Cov.	Rec.	Slot	Tkl.	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Darian Thompson	NYG	24	24	7	16	8	79	1	-
2	Kevin Byard	TEN	21	19	6	16	8	70	3	↑
3	T.J. Green	IND	19	19	6	17	8	69	5	↑
4	Justin Simmons	DEN	17	16	6	17	8	64	6	↑

 

Notable Omissions

Vonn Bell: No snaps
DeAndre Houston-Carson: No snaps
Kavon Frazier: No snaps

 

Notable Performances

Darian Thompson

Week 1 stats: 2 tackles, 1 assist

Thompson displayed good range to get outside on a deep shot to Dez Bryant. The pass was incomplete, but the rookie was in position to contest the catch if the throw had been more accurate. He flashed his range again later, getting over the top of Bryant to help break up another deep shot.

 

Kevin Byard

Week 1 stats: 4 tackles

Byard was solid in underneath zone coverages, working to his landmark while keeping his eyes on the quarterback and breaking quickly on anything underneath. He slipped once or twice when changing direction, but the ball never went in his direction, so it never had any impact.

 

T.J. Green

Week 1 stats: 1 tackle, 2 assists

He missed a tackle on Anquan Boldin down the field but was lucky to be bailed out by a holding penalty. He also completely missed Riddick on a seven-yard carry. He fared better in coverage, anticipating and breaking on a dig route by Marvin Jones, forcing Matthew Stafford to look elsewhere.

Strong Safeties

Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Cleveland's Derrick Kindred was the only rookie strong safety to see the field in Week 1. He put in a solid performance, particularly against the run. His instincts in the run game were clear to see, as he knew when to be patient and allow the run to come to him and when he should attack and go make the play. He read one delayed handoff well, positioning himself correctly and allowing the play to come to him as he made the tackle. Later on, he charged in from his deep position to blow up a tight end block and record another tackle.

It was disappointing not to see first-round safety Karl Joseph play for Oakland. His fellow first-rounder Keanu Neal looks set to miss the next two or three weeks with an injury suffered in preseason.

Grading Scale

Cov. — Coverage (Graded out of 25)
Rec. — Reaction/Recovery (Graded out of 25)
Slot — Slot Performance (Graded out of 20)
Tkl. — Tackling (Graded out of 20)
Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall — Top Possible Score of 100
LW — Rank Last Week

Rookie SS Rankings Week 1

Rank	Player	Team	Cov.	Rec.	Slot	Tkl.	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Derrick Kindred	CLE	17	17	16	16	6	72	6	↑

 

Notable Omissions

Keanu Neal: Injured
Karl Joseph: No snaps
Miles Killebrew: Two snaps
KJ Dillon: No snaps
Deon Bush: Inactive
Jayron Kearse: No snaps

 

Notable Performances

Derrick Kindred

Week 1 stats: 5 tackles

Kindred was one of the few bright spots for the Browns in an otherwise terrible team performance. He made a number of solid tackles and displayed strong instincts against the run. He flashed in coverage a couple of times too, spotting the threat of Darren Sproles out of the backfield and blanketing him well on a choice route. But he also got turned around by tight end Zach Ertz on one play and was slow to recover.

Special Teams

Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

The spotlight has seemed to move away from Roberto Aguayo after the rookie's initial struggles in training camp, with this performance as low-key as you can get for a second-round kicker. He made his only field-goal attempt from 43 yards and also went 4-of-4 on extra points. It was a quiet debut, but the kind you want to see from the rookie.

New Orleans Saints rookie Wil Lutz, who was just signed last week, was thrown into the fire with two 50-plus yard attempts, including a 61-yarder near the end of the game, but he unfortunately missed both in his debut. Lutz has a strong leg and found himself in a difficult situation in Week 1, but he will need to build consistency, as this was an issue for him throughout his college career.

While Drew Kaser was my preseason pick to be the stud of this year's rookie punters, Lachlan Edwards stole the spotlight with a big leg and great hang time in Week 1. He showed some ability to control the ball directionally but still needs more consistency in this area. Kaser demonstrated the ability to move the ball side to side, but he had an unfortunate shank that went just 17 yards, which hindered his performance.

Riley Dixon was unimpressive in his first game in Denver, but it is important to note that it takes many specialists five to six games to settle into life in the NFL.

Kicker Grading Scale

Pwr. — Kick Power (Graded out of 40)
Acc. — Kick Accuracy (Graded out of 40)
Tkl. — Tackling (Graded out of 10)
Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall — Top Possible Score of 100
LW — Rank Last Week

Rookie Kicker Rankings Week 1

Rank	Player	Team	Pwr.	Acc.	Tkl.	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Roberto Aguayo	TB	33	34	5	3	75	1	-
2	Wil Lutz	NO	29	23	5	3	60	NR	↑

 

Punter Grading Scale

Dist. — Kick Distance (Graded out of 20)
Hang — Kick Hang Time (Graded out of 20)
Acc. — Kick Accuracy (Graded Out of 45)
Tkl. — Tackling (Graded out of 5)
Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall — Top Possible Score of 100
LW — Rank Last Week

 

Rookie Punter Rankings Week 1

Rank	Player	Team	Dist	Hang	Acc	Tkl	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Lachlan Edwards	NYJ	18	19	31	3	3	74	3	↑
2	Drew Kaser	SD	6	10	37	3	3	59	1	↓
3	Riley Dixon	DEN	11	12	27	3	3	56	2	↓

 

Notable Performances

Roberto Aguayo

Week 1 stats: 1-of-1 FG, 4-of-4 XP

Aguayo hit a 43-yard attempt but was not really tested. It was a low-key debut for the second-round pick.

 

Wil Lutz

Week 1 stats: 2-of-4 FG, 4-of-4 XP

Lutz missed two kicks over 50 yards but made everything else. He has a big leg, but his accuracy needs work. The 61-yard attempt to end the game was not a good move.

 

Lachlan Edwards

Week 1 stats: 3 punts, 51.3-yard average

Edwards showed a strong leg but needs to work on accuracy in terms of hitting directional kicks.